Doug Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
>
> And, the people to the West of Egypt were not
> always portrayed as very light. There are a great
> many tombs and temples in the Oases west of Egypt
> and many of these tombs show features that are
> typical of the depictions elsewhere in the Nile
> Valley.
>
> Some images from the tombs of the 26th dynasty
> from the Oases:

Baennetyou Tomb

Ahem:

"Third Intermediate Period

<...>

This period was very much dominated by foreign peoples. Already towards the end of the New Kingdom, most of the Egyptian army consisted of Libyan mercenaries. In the north, two Libyan peoples would establish themselves. The Meshwesh came to dominate in the East, eventually making Tanis their capital (21st Dynasty). In the West, the Libu dominated, and when establishing themselves as rulers of Egypt with the 24th and the 26th Dynasty, Sais became new capital. The Libyans were largely Egyptianized, but kept some original cultural elements, like their names and their chiefs wore a feather in the hair."

Source: Encyclopaedia of the Orient

What you are seeing is the example of the "Egyptianisation" the Libyans undertook in their representations while they inhabited the Bahariya Oasia. This is what Goyon and Aufrère are speaking about as well, when they state that the Libyan family, who became so important at Bahariya, still maintained their Libyan names and lineage history.

So, you can't maintain what "Libyans looked like" from their Egyptianised imagery.

Katherine Griffis-Greenberg

Doctoral Candidate
Oriental Institute
Doctoral Programme in Oriental Studies [Egyptology]
Oxford University
Oxford, United Kingdom